Do You Dare (Truth And Dare Duet 1)

“I’ll let you beat the shit out of him, but I’m just here to keep you from killing him.”

Colton rang the doorbell. I heard a high-pitched giggle through the door–a woman–and anger boiled deep in my veins. It churned with the hunger for destruction.

I wasn’t thinking clearly, I fucking couldn’t.

All I could see was Lila’s sad eyes and blotchy cheeks as she tried to keep her tears inside.

The door opened, and there was Landon.

His eyes widened in shock, and I pushed forward. He stumbled back inside his apartment, gaping like a fish out of water.

“What the fuck?” he sputtered. “You can’t just push your way inside like that.”

“We can’t?” Colton taunted.

“What’s going on?” the woman asked. She was partially naked, the look on her face telling me she had just been fucked, multiple times.

Landon pointed toward the door. “Get the fuck out of my apartment. Now.”

I took a step forward, a promise of violence. He saw through me, and his eyes darkened. He shoved at my shoulders, wanting to assert his dominance in this fight, and I snapped.

Lunging forward, I grabbed him by the throat. He retaliated quickly, landing a punch in my gut. I quickly threw my weight on him, sending both of us crashing into his glass table in living room.

“Oh my God!” A shrill voice screamed.

I felt his nose crunch under the force of my punch. It was so loud, it vibrated through my ears.

Grabbing his hair, I pummeled his face over and over again. “You,” punch, “don’t,” punch, “fucking get,” punch, “away,” punch, “so easily,” punch, “after hurting,” punch, “Lila.”

He broke Lila’s trust and embarrassed her by cheating on her. Motherfucker.

Landon struggled against me, and he knocked me in the jaw, hard enough that I stumbled back. The sound of fists against flesh was all I could hear. Blood leaked from my nose, and I punched him in the ribs again and again.

“Stop! Help! Someone help!” The stupid voice was screaming once again.

I drew my fist back and ploughed it into his stomach. He coughed and sputtered blood. Stars burst in my vision when he got me in the head, but I shook it off.

There was blood on my knuckles but I. Could. Not. Stop.

“Maddox! Maddox, no.”

Lila. Her voice broke through the red haze, and I blinked, seeing Landon’s bloodied face.

Hands grabbed my back and arms, trying to pull me away from Landon. My eyes connected with Lila’s brown ones, and she looked completely… distraught.

For Landon? For this fucking asshole?

Lila whimpered. “You’re hurt. Oh God, Maddox. Oh no.”

Me?

“Ah fuck,” Colton roared. “She called the police. Shit!”

Lila’s face crumpled, and she pushed her face into my neck. “No, no, no.”

I stumbled away from Landon, and his bitch came forward, falling to her knees beside him.

“Maddox,” Lila said softly.

“I got you.” I wrapped my arm around her, lifting her so her feet were dangling an inch from the ground.

She let out a choked sob. “No, you don’t. They’re going to take you away. Landon is probably going to press charges. Why?”

Why?

Fucking why?

Because I can’t bear the thought of you hurting. Because watching you hold back your tears for an asshole like Landon has me losing my mind. BECAUSE HE FUCKING HURT YOU.

I never got a chance to say any of that to her. Glancing up over her shoulder, I saw the cops walking inside the apartment. They looked around, studying the mess.

“That’s him, Officer,” the woman cried, pointing at me.

Lila was shaking her head, holding onto me tighter. I had Landon’s blood on my hands; I broke into his house… there was no getting out of this. And I wasn’t the least bit sorry for turning Landon into my punching bag.

“Colton will take you home, Lila,” I rasped in her ear.

She gave me a stubborn shake of her head. “I’m coming with you.”

“No,” I deadpanned, with my hand gripping her chin. I made her look at me. “Colton will walk you home, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

“But–”

“No, Lila.”

Her face hardened. “You don’t tell me what to do.”

“I am, right now. Do as you’re told.” She glared. Lila was stubborn as fuck, and I knew she’d sit with me in jail if I didn’t get her home. There was no goddamn way I was letting her spend the night in a cell, even if it was with me. “Please.”

I placed her back on her feet, and her chin wobbled. She turned to face the cops. “It’s only a misunderstanding, officers. It’s my fault.”

“Misunderstanding or not, you’re under arrest.” One of the officers was staring directly at me. I nodded, compliant. There was no point arguing with them.

Colton had to drag Lila away from me as I was handcuffed, my hands behind my back.

“Please,” Lila pleaded. “Can I just… hug him?”

The officer who handcuffed me beckoned her over. She slid closer to me, pressed her nose against my throat. “I’m sorry. This is my fault.”